1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to data processing and more particularly to a method and a system for managing data objects so as to comply with predetermined conditions for usage.
2. Description of Related Technology
Much has been written recently regarding the puzzle of universal connectivity. A typical vision of the data highway has long distance high speed data carriers inter connecting regional networks which provide telecommunications services and a wide range of interactive on-line services to consumers. Many of the pieces are already in place, others are in development or testing. In fact, even though the data highway is under construction it is currently open to limited traffic. On-line services are springing up daily and video on demand services are currently being tested.
The potential to benefit society is immense. The scope of information available to consumers will become truly global as the traditional barriers to entry for distribution of, and access to, information are lowered dramatically. This means that more diverse and specialized information will be made available just as conveniently as generic sources from major vendors used to be. The end result is that organizations and individuals will be empowered in ways heretofore only imagined.
However, a fully functioning data highway will only be as valuable as the actual services which it provides. Services envisioned for the data highway that involve the delivery of data objects (e.g. books, films, video, news, music, software, games, etc.) will be and are currently limited by the availability of such objects. Library and educational services are similarly affected. Before owners will allow their data objects to be offered they must be assured of royalty payments and protection from piracy.
Encryption is a key component of any solution to provide copy protection. But encryption alone is not enough. During transmission and storage the data objects will be protected by encryption, but as soon as anyone is given the key to decipher the content he will have unlimited control over it. Since the digital domain permits data objects to be reproduced in unlimited quantities with no loss of quality, each object will need to be protected from unlimited use and unauthorized reproduction and resale.
The protection problem must not be solved by a separate solution for each particular data format, because then the progress will indeed be slow. It is important to consider the effect of standardization on an industry. Consider how the VHS, the CD and the DAT formats, and the IBM PC compatibility standards have encouraged growth in their respective industries. However, if there is to be any type of standardization, the standard must provide universal adaptability to the needs of both data providers and data users.
The data object owner may want to have permanent secure control over how, when, where, and by whom his property is used. Furthermore, he may want to define different rules of engagement for different types of users and different types of security depending on the value of particular objects. The rules defined by him shall govern the automated operations enabled by data services and networking. The owner may also want to sell composite objects with different rules governing each constituent object. Thus, it is necessary to be able to implement variable and extensible control.
The user on his part wants to be able to search for and purchase data objects in a convenient manner. If desired, the user should be able to combine or edit purchased objects (i.e. for creating a presentation). Furthermore, the user may want to protect his children from inappropriate material. A complete solution must enable these needs as well.
What is needed is a universally adaptable system and method for managing the exchange and usage of data objects while protecting the interests of data object owners and users.
A method for enforcing payment of royalties when copying softcopy books is described in the European patent application EP 0 567 800. This method protects a formatted text stream of a structured document which includes a royalty payment element having a special tag. When the formatted text stream is inputted in the user's data processor, the text stream is searched to identify the royalty payment element and a flag is stored in the memory of the data processor. When the user for instance requests to print the document, the data processor requests authorization for this operation from a second data processor. The second data processor charges the user the amount indicated in the royalty payment element and then transmits the authorization to the first data processor.
One serious limitation of this method is that it can only be applied to structured documents. The description of the above-mentioned European patent application defines a structured document as: a document prepared in accordance with an SGML-compliant type definition. In other words it can not be applied to documents which are not SGML compliant and it cannot be applied to any other types of data objects.
Furthermore, this method does not provide for variable and extensible control. Anyone can purchase a softcopy book on a CD, a floppy disc or the like, and the same royalty amount is indicated in the royalty payment element of all softcopy books of the same title.
Thus, the method described in EP 0 567 800 does not satisfy the above-mentioned requirements for universally adaptable protection of data objects.